Adam Higgins, Deputy News Editor [ @Adam_Higgins27]
Best album: Jack White’s first solo effort Blunderbuss.
Song of the year: It’s a tough one but I’m gonna go with Kodaline’s “All I Want”.
Best film: Looper.
Best book: I didn’t really read any books that were released this year. I spent my time tearing through the pages of ROOM by Emma Donaghue and The Lovely Bones. Creepy I know!
Best thing about 2012: The surge in amazing music coming out of Ireland with the likes of Kodaline, Little Green Cars, Gavin James and In Their Thousands. Next year is going to be a huge year for Irish album sales!
Worst thing about 2012: A tie between the world ending (sad face) and that infuriating “Ah here leave it out” app!
What you’re most looking forward to in 2013: Definitely the return of Oxegen!
Aoife Mullen, News Editor [ @Aoife-Mullen]
Best album: Muse – The 2nd Law
Song of the year: Muse – “Supremacy”
Best film: The Dark Knight Rises
Best book: The Psychopath Test – Jon Ronson
Best thing about 2012: Seeing the Foo Fighters on my birthday.
Worst thing about 2012: The walk back into city centre after Florence & Snow Patrol in the Phoenix Park – my feet 🙁
What you’re most looking forward to in 2013: Seeing Biffy Clyro again!
Sinead Walsh, general banter merchant [ @fuzzOFk0 ]
Best album of 2012: Threads by Now, Now. The fact I saw them in Manchester and found them to be up there on the “Nicest People Ever” list could be making me a touch biased. But it’s great. I promise.
Song of the year: “Try” by P!nk. When I like a song, I learn it on guitar so I can play it all the time until I get sick of it. This song wasn’t even over upon my debut listening and I had the tab open on my phone. But really, YouTube it now, because the video is the crowning glory of a fantastic song.
Best film: The Dark Knight Rises. The fight scenes, the bad guy, the hero, the car chases… and then Anne Hathaway as Catwoman. Need I go any further? No, didn’t think so.
Best thing about 2012: The John Lewis Christmas advert (the snowman one). I’ll take this opportunity to bring Gabrielle Aplin to your attention. She sings “The Power of Love” for the ad. It’s a just reward for the 20-year old singer who has been working hard at being amazing since she was about 16.
Worst thing about 2012: United losing the Premier League on goal difference, Geordie Shore (special mention to Gaz’s eyebrows), Dublin Bus and Irish Rail hiking up their fares, YOLO, Ireland at Euro 2012 and realising that Ed Sheeran is younger then me and is wildly successful. These have all made me want to scream into a pillow at some point over the last 12 months.
What you’re most looking forward to in 2013: Making it through the ‘end of days’. Despite my “it’s all silly” exterior attitude regarding this ending of the Mayan calender, it actually kept me awake last night. I haven’t really planned much past February because I’m not that organised. So, if we all make it to 2013 (sure be graaaand), I’m currently most excited for Conor Oberst’s concert in the National Concert Hall.
Jenny Darmody, Acting Editor/Features Editor [ @Jenny_Darmody]
Best album: Mumford and Sons – Babel
Song of the year: Katy Perry – “Wide Awake”
Best film: 21 Jump Street
Best thing about 2012: Katie Taylor. Fists down.
Worst thing about 2012: The fact that everyone thinks the world’s going to end. It’s not.
What you’re most looking forward to in 2013: The royal baby!
Luke Reilly [ @insmileoutblood]
Best album: Crystal Castles – (III). (III) encapsulates what makes Crystal Castles so wonderful– it’s noisy, abrasive and destructive, but catchy as any big pop song. This album’s lyrics are more measured and thoughtful, which leads to a surprising amount of emotion, especially from a woman who spits whiskey at the audience when playing live. What, she can’t have layers?
Song of the year: Icona Pop – “I Love It”. It’s one of those songs that makes you want to wreck the proverbial gaff. Whenever I hear it I have the overwhelming desire to take my top off and dance on a table, which can be quite problematic when there’s no table in my vicinity. I JUST WANT TO LIVE.
Best book: I usually only read classic fiction and gossip blogs, but Cloud Atlas was magnificent.
Worst thing about 2012: Realisation: I’ll never get those days back again.
Best thing about 2012: Realisation: I don’t want to.
What you’re most looking forward to in 2013: Being able to call myself an alumnus. Not for any reason involving status, but for an excuse to use the word ‘alumnus’. It’s a good word. A-lum-nus.
Claire O’Connell [ @Clayerrrrrr ]
Best album: Pink – The Truth About Love
Song of the year: “I Found You” by The Wanted or “Try” by Pink.
Best film: Skyfall
Best book: 50 Shades of Grey – read purely to see what all the hype was about, hated it, only the best book because it caused the most hype. Fair play!
Best thing about 2012: Getting to see Westlife in Croke Park, going to Bulgaria on my holiers.
Worst thing about 2012: Westlife splitting up 🙁
What you’re most looking forward to in 2013: Health, happiness and high-jinks – business as usual, wha?!
Derek O’Brien, Irish Editor [ @DirkVanByrn ]
Best album: Of Monsters And Men – My Head Is An Animal. Like sausage rolls in the Spar deli after 5 o’clock, I was left horribly disappointed by the new albums from Elbow and The Vaccines, which I thought would be contenders. The Icelandic lads get the nod because their album is an 11-song symbol of musical perfection.
Song of the year: Of Monsters And Men – “King And Lionheart”. While “Gangnam Style” is an almighty tune and possibly the most influential of the year, I can’t give it the title of ‘Best Song’ if I don’t understand or know any lyrics (except saying ‘Op op op’ a couple of times). “King And Lionheart” is one of those songs that you have to restrain yourself from playing all day every day. It’s beautiful.
Best film: I’ll be a bit boring and predictable here and say The Dark Knight Rises because I went to it twice. Sure there’s a few loopholes here and there, but IT’S BATMAN. And who doesn’t enjoy seeing Michael Caine sitting in a restaurant on a massive screen?
Best thing about 2012: When Katie Taylor was given the gold in London for batin’ everybody around. Goosebumps. Just like Robbie Keane’s goal against Germany in 2002, this is one moment that you’ll always remember where you were and what you were doing when it happened.
Worst thing about 2012: Working at *that* Swedish House Mafia gig in Phoenix Park. I have never seen so many people gathered together in one park, seemingly to celebrate being absolutely off their heads. I had a dream the night before that I was stabbed at it, so the aggressive and threatening crowd had me saying a few Hail Marys.
What you’re most looking forward to in 2013: I’m not. It means I have to go into the real world and start my life. I’d much prefer to stay in my DCU bubble. It’s a happy, comfortable bubble.
Nicky Ryan, Online Editor [ @ _Nicky_Ryan_ ]
Best album: Metronomy – The English Riviera. Slowly but surely Metronomy make more mature music, and slowly but surely they surprise you by being one of the most original bands out there. One minute they’re almost playing trance music, the next they’re making Troquay seem like some exotic holiday resort. Not everyone’s cup of tea, but good Lord it goes down well.
Song of the year: Grizzly Bear – “Yet Again”. Oh Grizzly Bear, they so jangly, and they didn’t let us down on that front with this stunning track off their most recent album. Atmospheric guitars lines seem to fall over the place, all brought under control by the lovely cooing of Edward Droste.
Best book: My flatmate and I found a badly worded Guide to Success beside a bin on Capel Street at maybe three in the morning during the summer. The situation we found it in speaks for itself on it’s ability to bring success, but because of its sheer determination not to give up on life, it earns the title of Best Book.
Best thing about 2012: I spent €30 on a lamp which, instead of a lampshade, consisted of a gloriously tacky rotating display of various kinds of fish, complete with gold trim and beads. It was either that or splash out €70 on a giant green marble state of a galloping horse which doubled as a telephone. Herbs and Acupuncture on the corner of Henry/Moore Street, that shop contains items that really had no reason to be manufactured.
Worst thing about 2012: After maybe three weeks of use, the plastic around the bulb in the fish-lamp melted and almost burned all my belongings to a cinder. I really shouldn’t have been so distraught surprised.
What you’re most looking forward to in 2013: Having €70 to splash out on a giant green marble state of a galloping horse which doubles as a telephone.
Nick Sheridan [ @nick_sheridan ]
Best album: The Black Keys – El Camino. One word: savage.
Song of the year: “212” by Azealia Banks.
Best film: The Hobbit. THEHOBBITSTHEHOBBITSTHEHOBBITSTHEHOBBITSTOISENGARDTOISENGARD. (Nick is pre-empting himself here, but I’ll allow it – Valerie)
Best book: Mortality by Christopher Hitchens.
Best thing about 2012: Easily the Olympics.
Worst thing about 2012: Irish football.
What you’re most looking forward to in 2013: Seeing the stunning musical Les Miserables on the big screen.
Eimear Shannon [ @sweatyuncle ]
Best album: Jack White – Blunderbuss. It didn’t seem likely that he could get any better, and then he released this album.
Song of the year: The xx – “Angels”. The xx proved they weren’t a one hit wonder when second album Coexist came out this year. Lead single “Angels” is simplistic, heartfelt and beautiful. Which is everything you want from a song really.
Best film: Shut Up and Play the Hits – LCD Soundsystem’s last days as a band documented through the eyes of James Murphy. A film that makes you cry, while dancing. Just like wine.
Best thing about 2012: The weather at Electric Picnic, and the whole festival in general.
Worst thing about 2012: My iPhone being stolen…ON MY BIRTHDAY. The world is a cruel place.
What you’re most looking forward to in 2013: Finishing college, I hear it’s like an infinite summer.
Eoghan Cormican, Sports Editor/Sixth member of One Direction [ @cormicaneoghan ]
Best album: Coldplay – Mylo Xyloto
Song of the year: Florence and the Machine – “No Light No Light”
Best film: The Hunger Games
Best book: The Secret Race – Inside the Hidden World of the Tour de France: Doping, Cover-ups and Winning At All Costs
Best thing about 2012: Getting my new Olly Murs haircut.
Worst thing about 2012: Losing all my One Direction hair.
What you’re most looking forward to in 2013: Realising my dream of getting a full-time job with The Connacht Tribune.
Megan Ecock, Deputy Arts Editor [ @MeganEcock ]
Best album: The Killers – Battle Born
Song of the year: Of Monsters and Men – “Little Talks”
Best book: NW – Zadie Smith
Best film: Ted was hilarious.
Best thing about 2012: Elbow’s performance of “One Day Like This” at Electric Picnic. Still get shivers!
What you’re looking forward to in 2012: Kings of Leon’s new album and hopefully *eeek* graduating 🙂
Claire Healy, Deputy Arts Editor [ @ClairreH ]
Best album: Another masterpiece by The xx – Coexist.
Song of the year: “Thinking About You” by Frank Ocean never fails to pop into my head but closely followed by mini Bey, Solange Knowles’ offering, “Losing You.”
Best film: Avoided the cinema a bit this year but very much enjoyed Joss Whedon’s The Avengers.
Best book: Not a 2012 release, but a 2012 read, a sometimes dark, but always witty tale of adolescence; Skippy Dies by Paul Murray.
Best thing about 2012: Frank Ocean’s beautiful coming out letter, interning for 9 Crow Street, finding out I own the same onesie as Beyoncé.
Worst thing about 2012: Almost getting knocked down by both the 25A and the 25B. Not sure if 25’s my unlucky number or I’m just clumsy.
What you’re most looking forward to in 2013: The royal foetus, Les Miserables and Berlin!
Valerie Loftus, Arts Editor [ @valerieloftus]
Best album: Visions by Grimes. Experimental dream-electro space warrior princess pop at its best.
Song of the year: “212” by Azealia Banks was everywhere, wasn’t it? I am proud to say I have now mastered all the words.
Best film: Not particularly cool, but I loved The Avengers – I have a weakness for a good comic book film. See also: The Dark Knight Rises.
Best book: Some recently released books I read this year and enjoyed were The Casual Vacancy by JK Rowling and How To Be A Woman by Caitlin Moran. Another less recent book I read was Just Kids by Patti Smith, which pretty much trumped everything.
Best thing about 2012: Being able to edit Flux has been pretty cool. Also Avril Lavigne and Chad Kroeger’s engagement has to be the best thing that’s ever happened of all time, not just 2012.
Worst thing about 2012: All the celebrity marriage breakups! Especially Amy Poehler (of Parks And Rec) and Will Arnett’s (of Arrested Development) divorce, which broke me. Kristen Stewart cheating on R-Pattz was awful too. Is love alive?!
What you’re most looking forward to in 2013: I’m looking forward to graduating and immediately getting a well-paid job as an Arts/Features journalist in a respected publication. That’s me being entirely realistic. Also, Nicky purchasing that horse telephone.
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